Rodolfo was a large bull-like man who looked as if he’d as soon grind your bones into dust as speak to you. But Valeria had discovered that his menacing exterior hid a marshmallow-soft core. Now he just said okay and backed off.
The four of them started down the hall. Merry, who seemed none the worse for her brief spell of unconsciousness, skipped happily alongside Valeria. Rui, on the other hand, was fading fast. As they passed the dining hall, he slowed to a shuffle and pressed a hand to his stomach, his mouth white around the edges.
Valeria glanced Rodolfo, but he was already easing an arm around Rui’s waist. “Lean on me, you big idiot. And don’t argue—you’d do the same if it were me.”
“And have done,” Rui muttered. But he put an arm around Rodolfo’s shoulder, allowing him to take some of his weight.
Valeria had never seen the base so empty. The dining hall, normally the heart of the clan’s life, held only a few of people. As they headed down the hall to her apartment, their footsteps echoed eerily. She tightened her grip on Merry’s hand and glanced around uneasily. Logic told her it was almost impossible for the earth shifters to enter the base—there were multiple layers of guards as well as the spell that hid their location from any uninvited visitors—but Adric had gotten in once. And as far as she was aware, no one knew exactly how.
As they turned the corner, Merry dashed ahead to open the door to their apartment. “This way, Tio Rui.”
He managed a smile. “Thanks, princesa.”
As they entered Valeria’s sala, the fae lights floating near the ceiling were activated. Like the rest of the base, her apartment had been carved out of a system of underground caverns that ran alongside Rock Run Creek, with clever touches like shelves chiseled into the stone walls and countertops of local granite. Now the illumination cast a soft green glow over the rough stone walls, imparting the soothing effect of an underwater grotto.
Rui removed his arm from Rodolfo’s shoulder. “Thanks,” he said gruffly. “I’ll be all right now—go back to the party.”
Rodolfo snorted. “I’ve had a bellyful of the fae, thank you.” He glanced at Valeria. “Are you sure you can handle things from here?” She nodded. “Well, send for me if you need help with this fool—or with anything, for that matter.”
“I will.” She lifted up on her toes to kiss his big, square face. “And thank you.”
He colored and with a muttered, “De nada,” strode out the door.
Valeria turned around to find Rui eyeing her. “He likes you. All the men do.”
“I don’t know about all the men, but Rodolfo’s a sweetheart. I don’t know what I’d have done without him these past couple of—”
Rui expelled a breath. “I’m sorry, Valeria. It should’ve been me. Your mate. You needed me and I wasn’t there for you.”
She shook her head. She was so confused. Even a few days ago she would’ve coldly told him to go to hell. He’d rejected her for Cleia. Humiliated her with women like Beatriz, over and over. But there had been that rush of love she’d felt from him in the clearing—and he’d been willing to die for her and Merry.
What did he want from her?
She drew a serrated breath, conscious of Merry listening to them with great interest. “You’re not my mate,” she said flatly. “And I am not your responsibility.”
“Valeria—” He took a step toward her, then halted and brought his hand back to his stomach.
“Here,” she said a little gruffly, helping him to the couch. “Sit down already.”
He sank down with a sigh and rested his head on the couch back. His face was sallow beneath the bruises and one of his eyes was swollen shut. She scrutinized him worriedly as he closed the other eye.
“Can I get you something to drink?” she asked.
“Yes, please,” he said without opening his eyes. “Water.”
“I’ll get it,” Merry volunteered. She scurried into the small kitchen that adjoined the sala, returning with a glass held carefully in both hands, then hovered over him while he drained it.
“That was just what I needed,” he said, handing it back to her, and her whole face lit up.
Meanwhile, Valeria had gone into the kitchen for a wet cloth and an icepack. Taking a seat on the couch, she bathed the blood from Rui’s face and then handed him the icepack.
He hissed as he brought the pack to his swollen eye, but kept it there.
She eyed him doubtfully. “Maybe you should get into bed.”
His mouth quirked. “If that’s an invitation, querida, you picked a helluva time.”
She pressed her lips together. “It’s not. And you’re in no condition even if it was.”
He drew in a breath and then immediately pressed a hand to his belly. “I’m afraid…you’re right,” he said with a rueful expression.
“Just sit still. Branco should be here soon.”
Valeria took the bloody cloth to the bathroom to rinse out. She was setting it on a rack to dry when she caught sight of herself in the mirror. She sucked in a breath. Her eyes were wide dark pools, her hair a tangled mass around her shoulders, and at some point she’d torn the skirt of her new dress. For some reason that was the final straw. She poked a finger through the jagged hole and blinked back tears.
In the sala Merry was chattering to Rui. “Mm,” he said. “Why don’t you sit next to me, sweetheart?”
Valeria drew a shuddering breath and placed her hands on the sink. She couldn’t let herself cry. Not now. Merry needed her to be strong. Rui did, too.
For a long minute, she hung over the sink, tears dripping down her cheeks, her fingers digging into the edge of the carved stone basin as she fought to regain control of herself. Then she took another breath and splashed some water on her face before returning to the sala.
As she entered the room, she paused in the doorway. Merry was snuggled up on the couch next to Rui. He’d gamely put an arm around her. He was holding the icepack to the back of his head now; he must’ve taken a blow there, too. If anything, they looked worse than her: Rui with his bruised and swollen face; Merry streaked with dirt and her braid coming undone, her blue bow left behind somewhere in the cherry grove. But all Valeria could think about was how she’d almost lost them both.
Merry turned her head to look into Rui’s face. “Tio Rui?”
“Sim?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” His voice was rough with emotion.
“You won’t let Uncle Jace steal me, will you?”
“No way. You’re safe, princesa. I promise.”
“Good.” Merry let out a relieved sigh.
Valeria’s lungs seized. It felt as if her chest was being cracked open, exposing her heart. She pressed a hand to her sternum, trying to massage away the ache.
Rui turned his head to look at her. “There you are. Come and sit down.” When she hesitated, he set the icepack on the coffee table and held out his hand. “Por favor? I…need to hold you right now.”
It wasn’t that he said please, it was the vulnerable look on his hard face as he said it. The crack in her chest widened and she found herself obeying.
“That’s better,” he said as she sat down beside him. His big arm settled tentatively around her shoulders. Then it tightened. “Hey, querida. Calm down—it’s okay. Adrenaline’s a bitch, isn’t it?”
It was only then that she realized she was trembling. She drew in a shaky breath. “Sim.”
He stroked her hair. “It’s okay,” he murmured. “You’re all right. Everything’s fine.”
Her breath sighed out. When she’d first come to Rock Run, she’d gone straight from her family’s close embrace to living with Rui. With him gone, she’d been forced to be the strong one. Oh, she’d been welcomed and supported by everyone at Rock Run from Dion on down, but for the first time she’d been responsible for her own decisions—and not only for herself, but for Merry.
She was proud of how she’d handled things, but even with the friends she’
d made, she was still lonely. She yearned for someone to talk to about Merry, someone with whom she could share her worries and triumphs. Someone who loved Merry as much as she did.
Now sensations poured into her: strength…concern…protectiveness. Even injured, Rui’s large frame radiated heat, power. Safety. She reminded herself this was the man who’d pushed her away again and again until he broke her heart.
But he’d also been willing to die for her—and Merry.
He pulled her closer and she stopped fighting it.
His thumb moved over her neck in slow, hypnotic strokes. She bowed her head and allowed herself to enjoy it. Even Merry had quieted, her head on Rui’s thigh.
He shifted and she tried to pull away. “You’re hurt—”
“I’m fine.” His fingers closed on her nape, keeping her where she was. “Let me do something for you for a change,” he added, seemingly reading her mind. “You’re safe now, sweetheart.”
She flashed on Adric’s flat bronze gaze and shuddered. “I know we’re safe enough here. But—” She shook her head, conscious of Merry hanging on their every word.
He squeezed a little harder. “I know you haven’t had much cause to trust me these past two years, but I meant what I said back there in the cherry grove. You’re mine, Valeria. Both of you. And I protect what’s mine. I promise you, Adric’s not going to win this one. He’ll have to go through me to get to you—either of you.”
She glanced away. She wanted so badly to believe him.
But there was so much hurt, so much darkness still between them. Maybe he really did love her. Maybe he truly wanted her as his mate. But she couldn’t forget that he’d promised to meet her in a mating ceremony—and then left her for another woman.
She glanced at Merry. “Why don’t you go see if Branco is in the hall?”
“Okay.” The little girl hopped up and ran out the door.
Valeria turned to Rui. “Stop it,” she said in low, angry tones. “You’ve spent the past two years showing me how little I mean to you. Why the hell should I trust you now?”
The words hung in the air like thick gray smog, sad and bitter at the same time.
Rui met her eyes. “You shouldn’t.”
She swallowed and looked away. He was agreeing with her. So why did she feel so miserable?
She started to come to her feet, but he caught her arm, staying her. “Because you’re right, I don’t deserve it. But I will. I’m going to earn your trust, Valeria. I’m going to open that bond between us again. And—”
In the hall, Merry sang out, “Olá, Senhor Branco.”
Rui hung on to Valeria’s arm. “This isn’t over, Valeria. We need to talk, you and me.” He waited until she nodded before releasing her.
Branco entered, Merry on his hip. The healer had seen more than three hundred turns of the sun, but he was still strong, dynamic, his only sign of age his silver ponytail. He pulled Valeria into a one-armed hug before setting Merry down and turning to Rui.
He raised a brow at his patient’s battered condition. “Tell me you didn’t get into a brawl with a sun fae.”
“I’m not that stupid. It was the new Baltimore alpha—Adric.”
“They attacked us,” Valeria added, even as she wondered why she felt compelled to defend him. “Four of them. Rui was protecting me and Merry.”
“I see.” Branco gave her a quick but thorough once-over. “You and the little one are all right?”
“We’re fine. It’s Rui who’s hurt.”
“Even so.” Branco took her hands. Energy flowed from him to her, warm, peaceful, soothing away the worry and agitation. She started to protest that he should see to Rui, but he hushed her. “This will only take a minute. And I’ve got energy to spare today.”
“It does feel good,” she admitted.
He smiled and released her, then lifted Merry into his arms and did the same for her before setting her back down. He gave her a pat on the rear end. “You look like you need a snack.”
She cast Valeria a look. “Mama said I could have ice cream when we came home.”
Valeria smothered a smile. She should’ve known Merry wouldn’t let a little thing like a near-kidnapping to allow her to forget. “You know where it is. Just one bowl, mind.”
“And a chocolate, too.”
“And a chocolate, too.”
With Merry occupied, Branco turned to Rui. “Now,” he said, “let me have a look at you. If Valeria will give me a hand—”
Together, they eased Rui out of what looked like his best shirt. His jaw tightened, but he bore it stoically. The purple linen was torn and bloodied. Valeria shook her head and set it on the floor.
“The pants, too,” Branco said.
They helped Rui out of his pants, leaving him in black briefs. Even bruised and with an ugly slash across his lower abdomen, the sight of his big body sprawled on her couch made her breath catch. And he knew it, the bastard. His lips curved and he slanted her a knowing look from beneath inky black lashes.
“Mama,” Merry called from the kitchen. “I can’t reach the chocolates.”
Valeria dragged her gaze from Rui’s and crossed the room to get the box. She felt him watching as she let Merry choose one before setting the box back on the shelf. She could tell he was wondering if Petros had given them to her, but he was too smart to ask.
Branco was running expert hands over Rui’s body. He sat back with a satisfied nod.
“Other than that cut in your belly, the news isn’t bad—a couple of cracked ribs and a slight concussion. Ordinarily, injuries like these would take you a few weeks to recover from, but with the energy you received from Cleia, you should be fully healed in ten days or so. But Filipa is right, that cut has to be closed up before it gets infected. Relax and focus on your breath.” Branco lightly placed his hands on the nasty-looking gash in Rui’s lower abdomen. “That’s it. Now visualize the energy going here, where you need it.”
Rui closed his eyes and inhaled slowly. Branco touched a tender spot, and Rui’s jaw clenched, his breath changing to shallow pants.
“Easy now,” murmured the healer. “Keep breathing.”
Rui nodded and let out an exhale. But he was pale under his tan, his lips taut with pain. Valeria pulled up a chair and clasped her hands between her legs, wishing she could help. She told herself that her worry was only natural, since Rui had been injured defending her and Merry, but that was a lie. It was agony, to see him hurting, worse than if she’d been injured herself.
The healing seemed to take a long time, although when she checked only thirty minutes had passed. Merry finished her ice cream and sat on the floor beside the couch, her hand on Rui’s wrist. When Valeria tried to shoo her away, Branco shook his head.
“No, leave her. She’s helping.”
Valeria subsided. Rui turned his palm over and captured Merry’s small hand in his. Valeria’s heart lurched. She wanted to hold his hand, too. She wanted Merry to have a father again. She wanted—oh, so many things.
Was it possible? She felt like a weather vane, spinning wildly between hope and distrust.
Unable to sit any longer, she got up to tidy the kitchen. When she returned, Rui was sitting up, his swollen eye open and clear, although surrounded by a dark purple bruise. Most of the rest of his bruises had already faded to a healing yellow-green and the gash on his stomach had closed, leaving behind a ragged red line.
Branco had Merry on his lap and was murmuring something to her. The healer smiled up at Valeria. “She’ll be fine now. I told her if she goes to sleep now, tomorrow this will seem like a bad dream.”
“Obrigada,” Valeria said gratefully. Although Merry hadn’t been hurt physically, she’d been through a tough day, emotionally. And seeing her uncle—who she’d clearly loved—attack her mom and Rui had to have been traumatic. The last thing Valeria wanted was for her to go through another bout of nightmares like the ones after her dad died. “For everything. If there’s anything I can do—”
Branco set Merry down and came to his feet. “It’s my pleasure. All I ask is that you continue raising this fine daughter of yours.”
Valeria smiled and tried not to think of the Baltimore shifters. “I will.”
Branco turned to Rui. “You should be able to make it back to your own apartment now, but don’t do anything strenuous for at least a week. Move too soon, and that wound in your belly is going to split open again. And trust me, an abdominal infection is no joke.”
Rui nodded. “I’ll be careful.”
“I stopped the internal bleeding and healed those broken ribs, but concussions can be tricky. Even a slight one can cause problems. Just in case it’s worse than I thought, I’ll arrange for someone to sit with you tonight.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Valeria heard herself say. “He’ll be staying with me.”
Branco’s brows lifted but all he said was, “Even better. He should continue icing that lump on his head for the next day or so—it’ll keep the swelling down. And tonight, you should wake him every couple of hours. Make sure he knows where he is. If you can’t wake him or if he seems worse—dizziness, a severe headache, vomiting—send for me immediately.”
“I will.”
He frowned. “Are you sure you’re up to this? You look like you could use a good night’s sleep yourself.”
“I’ll handle it. Don’t forget, I have an able assistant.”
Merry cocked a thumb at her chest. “That’s me.”
“I can see he’s in good hands,” Branco said with a wink. “And Rui,” he added sternly, “no alcohol for the next week. Not even a glass of wine.”
“I won’t,” Rui promised.
Valeria almost snorted. Rui without a drink was like a fish without fins. Although that wasn’t quite fair. He’d made an effort to be sober around Merry. And his scent was free of alcohol right now—and had been since he’d assumed command of the base in Dion’s absence.
“Excellent. Have a good sleep.” Branco patted Rui’s shoulder. “I’ll be back in the morning to check on you.”
With Branco gone, Valeria gave Merry a quick bath and put her to bed. The little girl was so tired she didn’t even demand her usual book, although she did make a detour into the sala to kiss Rui goodnight.
Claiming Valeria Page 13